Rutte calls Truss about Queen Elizabeth's death, extra support for Ukraine

Prime Minister Mark Rutte had a call with his new British counterpart Liz Truss, in which the two spoke about the death of Queen Elizabeth and the war in Ukraine, the prime minister said on Twitter.

Rutte says he has "again conveyed my condolences" after Queen Elizabeth's death. "The sadness that the Dutch experience underlines the close bond between our countries."

The two also spoke about the war in Ukraine "and welcomed Ukraine's advances on the battlefield," Rutte said. "This shows that our military support is working and we have agreed that we need to increase military support."

On Tuesday, Truss visited Queen Elizabeth, who already looked vulnerable at the time. The queen passed away on Thursday in Scotland at the age of 96. That same day, Rutte also conveyed his condolences to the British prime minister. The queen's body will be transferred to London on Tuesday.

The monarch's funeral on Sept. 19 in Westminster Abbey can be followed live on the NOS, a spokesperson for the broadcaster said on Saturday. The broadcaster will provide details over the course of the week. As of Sunday afternoon it was not publicly known if any members of the Dutch Royal Family or the Cabinet would attend.